Veruses Verus Amor
by Blackwater Heart
Summary: Scarlet Moore has faced a lot of challenges in her 16 years, but nothing prepared her for the challenge of Sirius Black. Sirius is in it for the long haul, but he has his work cut out for him. Scarlet is no easy conquest.


_Sunlight breaks the sky with long blinding rays._

 _A previously dim world is filled with cascades of shadows._

 _The gentle glow of dawn premeditates the brilliance of the sun climbing high and shattering the still night air._

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Scarlet Anne Moore swipes her long, dark, wooden wand and watches as the clothes zip from her closet to her trunk. Her room hardly feels like it belongs to her anymore, despite being here all summer. The light purple walls and matching floral comforter seems foreign. Turning to examine the nearly empty room she stops to pick up the first of the two pictures sitting on her bedside table. Both parents wave and smile excitedly while her and her four brothers laugh and make faces at the camera. It was taken before any whisper of sickness or war had touched her family, at a fountain in the middle of muggle London. Setting it gently inside the trunk she turns to the second more sedate picture that had been taken the summer before her second year, at a lake house in France. One father and all five children smile for the camera. The two oldest are holding up the string of fish they had caught, and the rest gather around. No one is laughing, no one is making faces, but the smiles are genuine; it follows the first into the trunk. She then picks up the last thing on the table. A gold and periodot bracelet Shane had given her before he left to join her other brothers, in the wizarding war. It was supposed to offer protection, according to the old gypsy he had bought it off.

Gypsy magic is as powerful and strange as gypsies themselves. They fall somewhere between the cracks of wizards and muggles. Although they have no place in the wizarding world, they have undeniable magical talents. Shane had visited the Roma and deemed them a true display of convergent evolution. In his muggle study graduating thesis, "Occult Anthropological Studies Around the World", he had proposed creating a subcategory of cultures to contain squibs, gypsies, aboriginals, and other magical/nonmagical beings who were misplaced in their current categories. A category of people who were neither solely magical, nor solely muggle. A category of people who were some of both. He had planned on submitting his thesis to the department of muggle relations for review, but he never did.

One more wave of her wand and the trunk shuts itself and zooms to join the others in a neat row. Six cases line her wall. The first and largest is filled with clothing and personal effects, the second, similarly sized, is filled with books and journals. The other, smaller, four cases are filled with assortments of unusual but necessary items. Empty vials and spare vessels lay in front of one such case, they are the very last thing she packs. She spent most of her summer growing plants, preparing ingredients, and hording supplies that she wouldn't have access to over the school year. She always packs the spares last, just in case she remembers anything else to bring.

"Is Little Miss all finished packing then?" MoonRay, the ancient house elf, asks from behind her. Her sudden appearances would be startling if Scarlet hadn't become accustom to her silent arrivals. As children, MoonRay had driven her mischievous brothers wild. They complained she was always sneaking up on them, but only because she was always catching them in the act of some great crime. There were no stolen cookies before dinner on MoonRay's watch.

Scarlet nods her head yes. The little elf snaps her fingers and all six of the cases buckle themselves securely. "I will send them presently, after you have arrived, Little Miss." The elf announces, always eager to help. MoonRay had been old for as long as Scarlet could remember, which is one of the reasons they had employed Mrs. Jones when her mother had become too consumed by her work to keep up. MoonRay was proud of her station as the sole elf at the residence. It would have hurt her immensely to have another (younger) elf brought in. Employing the middle-aged squib had been Brian's brilliant idea. She didn't threaten the elf's position and she got on well with the young rambunctious family. Together, under the careful instructions of Scarlet's mother, they ran the household at peak efficiency.

Fiddling with the delicate bracelet now clasped around her wrist; Scarlet looks at herself in the mirror. She supposedly favors her mother. Picking at her light blue blouse she scrutinizes her reflection. She's taller, with a more athletic frame than her mother. Her large green eyes come from her father as does the shape of her mouth and the dusting of freckles across her skin. It's really just the hair. They have the same wavy black locks. Scarlet's hair is longer then she can remember her mother's being. It nearly reaches her lower back now. It's typically tied up. So, it's out of her face, but with her hair down, she can see just a bit of her mother in the reflection. MoonRay clucks a gentle cough, effectively breaking the trance.

"You best be on your way to your aunt's, Little Miss." She says softly. They both pretend not to notice the tears gathering in the corners of her crinkled eyes.

"Did you mention I'm leaving this morning?" Scarlet knows the elf did what she asked. There is no chance that she forgot to mention it when she left the breakfast tray outside his door with a loud knock. There is also no chance that Mrs. Jones' note, which was stuck next to the fresh fruit and yogurt, had gone amiss. She knows her father isn't going to come out of his room willingly. MoonRay stands still staring sympathetically back at her. "I'll be just one more minute." Scarlet says as she walks determinedly out of her room and down the stairs.

Mrs. Jones is washing the breakfast dishes in the kitchen, her back ramrod straight. She's waiting and listening. Scarlet freezes and listens as well, the ceiling is creaking lightly. They both hold their breath when a door opens on the second floor. Something is set on the floor with a barely discernable thud and the door is quickly shut again. They both let out a breath.

"He ate his breakfast, that's good." Mrs. Jones hums and continues the dishes. Scarlet leans on the counter beside her.

"You'll watch after him, right?" She can't help the feeling of anxiety that comes with how far away she'll be. If anything happens. . .

"Course I will, you ninny. Don't worry so much, we'll manage. We always do." Mrs. Jones and MoonRay had been increasingly caring for her father, since her mother's death. Her oldest three brother's Brian, Jace, and Adam moved home when their mother passed. They said they wanted to be there for Scarlet, until she started Hogwarts the following year. Jace left for a job in France less than a week after she left for school. Brian moved out that January, so he could be closer to work. Adam stayed for their father. During Scarlet's second year at Hogwarts hushed voices started whispering a horrible word: war. Adam owled her before Christmas saying he had to go because he had work to do. Brian and Jace followed him after the holidays. None of them have ever said exactly what they are doing. All Scarlet knows is they left to stop a war. When Shane graduated at the end of that year he joined them.

Scarlet can feel her heart racing as she walks to her father's room. She knocks three times. A smothered cough and the words 'come in' float through the heavy oak door. It creaks loudly as she opens it. The bedroom is tidy, and spacious. Large, darkly colored furniture fills most of the masculine room. The only part that seems remotely feminine is the two arm chairs standing in front of a fireplace with a small table between them. Scarlets parents rarely used the sitting area when her mother was alive. They argued over it endlessly. Eventually her father consented to keeping it, despite the shagginess of the rug and girly patterns on the chairs. He barley got out of the arm chair now. He spends hours sitting, staring into the fire.

He clears his throat and a coarse 'morning' comes out. In many ways, her father's constant reclusive behavior is what triggered Scarlet's own solitary habits.

"Morning, I saw you ate breakfast." she says. He nods not breaking his gaze away from the fire. He looks haggard, far too old for his years. Dark circles surround his eyes, and deep lines drag his face down into his untrimmed salt and pepper beard.

"Sleep well?" She asks quietly. He nods again. Each day the once bright and outgoing man seems reduced by some infinitesimal fraction.

"I'm heading out in just a minute, Dad. Before I left I wanted to show you something." Taking it out of the back pocket of her jeans, Scarlet holds it up for him to examine. He finally breaks away from the fire to look at her.

"Is that a prefect badge?" She feels her throat tighten at his question. Uncertain of his reaction, she taps her fingers against it nervously.

"It's mine." She mumbles.

"Yours?" For the first time, all summer she can feel him really looking at her. Meeting her eye for eye.

"Yeah." She says nodding her head. His smile is blinding, at least 100 watts aimed her way.

"Ah, Love." He gestures for her to hand it to him, so she does. Holding it up he runs his thumb over the P several times. Words come spilling out of his mouth faster and faster. "You know this is how we met, your mother was a prefect and she took points from our house. I was out of bounds at night, ya know?" Scarlet kneels next to his chair and smiles. He never talks about her anymore. He doesn't talk much about anything anymore. "Some mates had dared me to go into the forest. I didn't want to do it, I was scared. She really saved me. I hadn't taken two steps before she came charging up, all outrage and fire. She burned my ears off on the way back to the castle. Lecturing all of us on safety and responsibility. I loved her right away." His speech slows from the frantic pace, and he becomes more introspective. "We might have never met, if she wasn't a prefect. . . Now you're one too. . ." The excitement visibly drains out of him.

"Dad?" She asks. He takes hold of her hand and places it to his cheek.

"We're so proud of you Scarlet-girl. So very proud." His earnest expression makes her smile weakly. He seems sincerely happy, but his sudden burst of energy is more alarming then comforting.

"Dad, are you ok?" He pats her hand once before letting it drop.

"Course I am." Scarlet can feel the cool distance returning between them. "You need to be getting along now. Take care of yourself, and work hard." Scarlet leans in and kisses him on the forehead, then turns and walks away leaving a quiet 'I love you' behind her. The house seems darker as she closes his door.

She hugs Mrs. Jones and MoonRay good bye before throwing a fistful of dust into the fire. Orange flames become brilliant green. Stepping into the fire she waves one more time before carefully enunciating each sound.

"Leaky caldron." Her Livingroom disappears before her and a nearly empty pub forms. Stepping out of the fire place she kicks the ash from her shoe out of habit. An old man sits in the corner reading the prophet and a sleepy clerk naps at the front desk.

"One room please." She says. The sleepy wizard grunts something that sounds similar to 'how many?'

"Just me for the rest of the week please." She pulls out a handful of galleons and sets it beside her book. "I'll settle the rest before I leave." Staring at the money with a puzzled frown he scoops it up with a sigh. He's very skinny and he looks young enough to be in school with her. His shiny blond hair, and pale greasy looking skin give him the appearance of having just been dipped in a vat of baby oil .

"Mauve! Looks like we've got another run away, where do you want this one?" He shouts at the corner of the pub and an old familiar crone marches forward. Her back is so bent she can scarcely stand straight and she's clutching a broom more to help her walk then for cleaning. She scolds him in a shrieking voice not to yell in front of costumers.

"Let me look at you" she says in warm welcome. Scarlet gives her a strong hug. "How's your dad?" Scarlet places a kiss on her check before answering.

"He's good, Aunt Mauve. We all are" Cheerful and happy, that's what people should see. She's given a doubtful look in return.

"You're a rotten liar, little bit. Though, I suppose you come by it naturally enough. Your ma`m was too." Scarlet shrugs her shoulders at the stern witch's rebuff. There's nothing either of them can do about her father at the moment. Mauve resented him greatly for the way he changed after his wife died, but there's no point in discussing what you can't change.

"I've missed you, Aunt Mauve." Looping her arm around the old witch's shoulders Scarlet gives her a sly smile and bats her eyelashes.

"Yer laying it on a bit thick. Well, never mind, let's just get you tucked in. Jameson! Room seven's key, and be quick. I swear that boy does nothing but laze around all the time." Barley taking a breath Mauve mutters all the way to the second-floor room. Jameson follows behind diligently, though admittedly slowly. "MoonRay sending your belongings along, I expect? I'll have them put in your room when they arrive. Ah, here we are Dearie." Opening the door, she waves Scarlet inside. "It's all fixed it up for you, and I put an extra blanket on the bed."

"It's lovely as always." The room is cozy and clean. The Leaky caldron is always a bit worn, but something about it feels more like home than her own had all summer. The small, well used room smells like fresh linens. Looking at her stand-in aunt Scarlet can feel stress being drawn away from her. She smiles contently and feels shoulders droop in relief.

"Ah, tea's downstairs when you're ready. We'll go over the shopping list and I'll introduce you to a new friend I've made. He's a real looker. Might make a real nice beau, if you haven't got one already." Snickering on her way out, Mauve shut the door behind her. Scarlet shakes her head at the idea of having a beau at all. Still there's something incredibly comforting in knowing you don't have to take care of anything or make any decisions, because someone else is doing it. Someone else is looking after you, and when that someone else is a feisty old witch with sass to spare, you know everything is going to be ok. No matter what happens.

Her belongings arrive fifteen minutes after her. Jameson stacked them in the middle of her room and the second he left she checked her supplies to make sure everything is as it should be. As usual everything is in order. Walking down the steps to the tavern she reviews her class list. Transfigurations, potions, care of magical creatures, herbology, and charms. Her last time slot was left for directed study under Professor Flitwick. She glances around at the bottom of the steps. Mauve usually likes to take tea by the fire, but today the table is empty. However, in the corner, largely obscured from view is someone she can't help but recognize. He looks bizarrely out of place. He's not surrounded by his loud mates, being scolded, or is he wearing Gryffindor robes. Sirius Black is sitting quietly while Mauve pours his tea, wearing plain jeans and a dark grey 'The Beatles' t-shirt. It is a surreal image.

"Hello." Scarlet says approaching the pair uncomfortably. Mauve nods hello and gestures for her to sit while fussing over tea and sandwiches for Scarlet, who takes a seat at the small table. Black stares at her. By the time, she is done with her first long sip of tea, his staring has become rude. She hears a thwap and Black appears to flinch in pain.

"Hello." He lets out with a grunt.

"This is Mr. Black. He's in your year, I believe. He's been my charming and articulate guest off and on this summer." Mauve starts her sentence with a glower at Black and finishes it with a smile at Scarlet. Taking a healthy bite from her sandwich Scarlet nods her head to show she's listening. "Go on Sirius finish your story." Mauve says sipping her tea happily.

"Uh, I don't remember what we we're talking about, sorry." He says it more to his plate then to the two witches in front of him. He seems different then what Scarlet thought, less sure of himself. Despite being in the same year, and house; she never spent any time with him before now. She preferred to keep to herself. Black and his friends drew a lot of unwanted attention.

"You were about to tell me why she couldn't take any of it down." Mauve says clearly exasperated at Sirius' sudden disinterest from the conversation.

"Errr, right I put a permanent-sticking charm to them that's all." He's still avoiding both of their gazes. Mauve chuckles a little before Jameson catches her attention by dropping a bucket of magical cleaning supplies. She shouts at him but goes to help him sort out the mess.

"You put a permanent-sticking charm on something? That's pretty advanced." She can't help but be impressed. She had no idea he likes charms.

"Thanks." The hint of hostility in his tone catches her off guard. She runs the tip of her pinky over the lip of her tea cup.

"What did you put it on?" She asks trying to decide if she imagined it.

"Just some stuff on the walls of my room." The hostility is aggressive, considering she barley knows him. She can't have done anything to piss him off in the past five seconds, besides he had seemed happy enough with Mauve.

"Black I was being sincere, I really do think its admirable that you could cast the charm, it's not an easy one." Perhaps he thinks she mocking him. Sitting back in her chair she gives him a hard look and he caves.

"No, of course. I didn't think you. . . I know you didn't . . ." He sort of trails off with a bewildered expression and drops his gaze to his tea. Scarlet pours a little more into his cup and makes a study of him. He's an attractive person. The contrast of grey eyes and messy black hair is charming. His appearance is a little more bedraggled then his usual deliberately disheveled self. He looks like he needs a shower, a shave and some sleep.

"So, why are you angry then?" She asks. She waits patiently while he takes his time to reply. When he looks up and finds her gaze, their eyes stay locked.

"Are you always this direct?" His cheeks have just a hint of color to them when he asks the question in a tone of humorous disbelief. Scarlet can't tell if the flush is because he's embarrassed or excited by her.

"Are you always this evasive?" she counters.

"No." He answers evasively and finally she sees a bit of that marauder confidence he wears so well at school. The kind of confidence that is somehow defiant. It fades quickly, though. She continues her study of him as he breaks and looks away. "I just didn't realize you were coming, is all." He must know how ridiculous he sounds because he cringes. They're at the Leaky, anyone can stay here at any time. As long as they can pay.

"What's that?" He asks, gesturing to her wrist after a few more moments of social discomfort.

"It's a bracelet." She says shrugging her shoulders. He sends her a surprisingly genuine smile.

"Obviously, I know that, I'm not daft. I meant what's the story?" he asks, and the awkwardness finally fades.

"It was a present from one of my brothers." She answers, this is safe ground.

"You have a couple of them right, older brothers I mean?" He sips his tea and wolfs down a sandwich in one bite.

"Yea, I do. Four, actually but how'd you know that Black?" Most of the people at her school barley know her and the last of her brothers left after their second year. By the time she got to fifth year no one remembered them at all.

"Shane was captain of Huffelpuff in our first and second year. That's the only reason they won the cup. I heard he had an older brother, who won it for Ravenclaw a few years before. I didn't know you were related until later." He says.

"Oh, yeah. That was Jace. He wasn't a captain, though." Scarlet tried to remember if Black plays quidditch too. She rarely went to the games.

"What position did he play?" He asks as he steals the last sandwich. Mauve returns interrupting their conversation.

"Sorry dears, I got caught up with that clout again. Scarlet show me the list, we need to think about what you're going to need tomorrow. Sirius did you bring yours?" Sitting back down at the table and holding both hands out expectantly she waits for each list. Scarlet looks at Black in a new way, Mauve is more than the Leaky's inn keeper to him. Just like she's more than that to Scarlet. They both hand them over and Mauve's sharp eyes scan the lists.

"Aright then, tomorrow we'll collect this lot. That is if Jameson can hold down the fort for a few hours without mucking it up." Scarlet feels tears prick behind her eyes. She will never fail to appreciate the things this woman does. Things her Mom would have done.

"Mauve, I-" Sirius starts to object but she doesn't let him finish.

"Listen here Mr. Black I won't stand for any arguments. I'll take care of it and that's that. There are no excuses when it comes to your education." A look passes between the two, but it's clear Mauve gets her way, she usually does. "Now off you go, I've got work to do." Scarlet stands and gives Mauve an appreciative hug. She whispers a soft 'thank you' before letting go. To Scarlet's surprise when she steps back, Black moves into her place and nearly lifts the woman off her feet. Laughing Mauve swats at him and he lays a sweet kiss on the witch's cheek.

"There's a cheeky fellow, come on, away with you both." She picks up the cups and walks back to the kitchens, but Scarlet notices the extra sparkle in her eyes as she goes. She slides an accusatory stare at Sirius.

"You know Mauve rather well." She leaves the sentence trailing in the air behind them as she attempts to keep up with his long strides.

"I know her well enough." He smiles like he has a secret, and no plan to tell her what it is. She blinks at him confused.

"Well enough for what?" She asks, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.

"You're a curious little thing, aren't you love?" He keeps going and she vaults up the steps after him. "Why do _you_ know her so well? It's not all that common for people our age to stay here alone. Well, maybe more common than I originally thought." His long legs give him a distinct advantage in what has apparently turned into a race.

"She's a friend of the family." Scarlet answers, a little out of breath. She needs to exercise more. Then again, she has rarely needed to run up flights of stairs in the past.

"Well, there you have it." He says matter of factly. "You'll have to excuse me, I'm down this way." He gestures to the left. "Have a nice afternoon." He says and nods his head before walking away, leaving her staring after him and feeling like an idiot.

"What a strange boy." She puts her hand over her mouth when she realizes she said it out loud.

A week of sharing a roof with Black went about the same as not sharing a roof with Black. He was more sleeping at the Leaky then staying at it, as he spent most of his days gone. Scarlet went with him and Mauve to buy school supplies and he was withdrawn but well mannered. Every so often, she would catch him acting more like she had seen at school. Making jokes and laughing loudly with Mauve. Scarlet couldn't help but wonder why he seemed to act so formal with only her. Maybe because Mauve is so open. It's hard not to feel comfortable in her presences. She spent most of her week with Mauve, when she was free. When she was too busy, Scarlet read and prepared for her classes.

She woke up early on leaving day. She checked and double checked that she had everything. Then she said her goodbyes to Mauve and hailed a taxi to Kings cross station. Platform 9 ¾ was crawling with people, as per usual, and she struggled to get though the chaos to put her belongings in the loading area. When she finally manages to settle into a compartment, she's exhausted.

"Do you mind if we sit here, Moore?" A lovely red head asks, as she slides the door open. Scarlet nods and Lilly Evans, as well as two other girls fill the empty space.

"I think I've seen you, around. You're in our year, yeah?" The pretty blonde one asks as she looks Scarlet up and down. Clearly butter wouldn't melt in this girl's mouth. Scarlet shakes her head internally, this one has a lot of maturing to do. All three newcomers settle their belongings.

"Yes, I am." Scarlet says picking at the cover of the book in her lap. When they sit-down, Lilly smiles warmly at Scarlet.

"Marney, she's in our house what are you playing at?" She asks laughing at the girls annoyed expression.

"I didn't realize." She says. She looks like she's just sucked on a barrel of lemons. "I thought all Gryffindors took charms together last term. I never saw her."

"That's because she's in advanced charms, with me." Lilly neatly shuts down the argument and asks, "Did you have nice Hol's?". Something about the tone of the conversation made the question seem like a claim. As if Scarlet was Lilly's friend and therefore off limits to Marney's games.

"They were very pleasant, thank you, and yours?" Scarlet barley knows Lilly. She had only spoken to her a handful of times over several years, and she had always been polite. The polite response would have been succinct and vague. Much like the answer Scarlet had given. Apparently, Lilly isn't interested in being overly polite today, because she dives into a detailed description of her summer break. Mostly talking about her obnoxious sister and her horrible boyfriend. After a while Lilly realizes she's talking too much and stops mid story.

"I'm sorry I'm talking like a loon. You can tell me to shut it." She looks a little sheepish and Scarlet can see why this girl is popular. She is frustratingly outgoing, and far too open, but also incredibly endearing.

"No, please go on." Scarlet can't manage to ask her to stop, even if this is not her preferred topic. Lilly shakes her head making her red hair fly around her shoulders.

"No, no I've been talking for ages, it's someone else's turn." The brunette sitting across from Scarlet speaks for the first time.

"Well I know some right juicy gossip, if you'd like to hear it." She says. Her voice is deeper than most girls, but not at all unappealing. The train shakes into action, finally, and its deafening whistle blows as it accelerates. The noise temporarily overcomes the conversation from across the compartment. A few seconds later the train settles into an even pace.

"Do you know where the prefects are meeting? It said in my letter it would be during the train ride, but it didn't say where. You're still a prefect right?" Scarlet asks Lily, whose eyes widen with poorly veiled surprise.

"You were made prefect this year?" She asks. Looking a little embarrassed by her own shocked reaction she mutters out a quick apology. "Sorry, it's just that you don't seem like the type to want it." Marney smiles unkindly at her seat mate when she hears Lilly.

"Collins, you were hoping to get it this year, right? You must be very impressive, Moore, to have beaten her without even trying." She turns her feline smile at Scarlet and jumps a little when she finds her hard eyes locked on her. Scarlet doesn't look away and she doesn't smile, even while she speaks softly to the other girl.

"I'm very sorry to hear you were disappointed, Collins. I'm sure you would have been exceptional. You'll probably get it next year." Collins shrugs at her apology as Marney begins to squirm under Scarlet's scrutiny.

"Why are you staring at me like that? You're being so weird." Her voice is pinched tighter then it was before. Scarlet feels Lilly stiffen beside her, but she stays locked on her current target.

"When you walked in here, you had already decided that you didn't want to get along. You've been abrasive to say the least and you are sowing seeds of discontent faster than a jealous slytherine girlfriend. I've had enough, now and it's time for you to stop. Also, you have a bit of spinach in your teeth. That's why I'm staring at you." Marney fumes at Scarlet's calm words. Steam is practically pillowing off her. The tense moment is broken when Lilly begins laughing. She keeps laughing until tears come out her eyes and she holds her stomach. It's contagious and soon Scarlet and Collins are chuckling a little too. When Lilly catches enough air, she manages to snort out a few words.

"She really has you pegged huh, Marney? Don't try to use you're claws on this one, I think she'll only blunt them." Marney, glares daggers at Lilly for laughing at her. She flashes her teeth in a false grin and prepares to say what would have surely been a biting criticism, but Lilly only laughs harder until the red head is bent over holding her stomach once more. She only manages one word past her peels of laughter.

"Spinach," She wheezes. Marney turns an unfortunate bright red and attempts to use the window as a mirror and remove it from her teeth. This is getting out of hand. Scarlet stands and murmurs 'changing room' under her breath, but the train gives a sudden lurch that sends Lilly sprawling onto the floor, almost taking Scarlet with her. Lilly tries to regain her footing but she's laughing too hard to win control. The compartment doors open, and two boys peak inside.

"Why are you laughing on the ground, Lilly Flower?" James Potter asks grinning at the chaos in the small space. Potter bends to try and help Lilly to her feet, but she pushes away from him and gives a glare for good measure. The boy seems to have grown, He takes up almost the whole doorway. What little he doesn't, is blocked by one Mr. Black. "Do you still have that prefect meeting? You could come sit with us, if it was canceled." He asks it so sweetly that Lilly's reaction seems erratic, but it's not. Lilly knows exactly what he had meant.

"Don't you dare James Potter!" She's no longer laughing, but scowling. Scarlet starts looking for an exit strategy. Between the bickering couple and Lilly's friends, she's fast developing a headache.

"Lily I've got to go to the loo." She whispers before dodging Lily's grasping hand.

"Wait, Moore," but it's too late. She manages to avoid Lilly and Potter gives way to her quiet 'Excuse me' but she gets stuck when she bumps into Black. His hands grasp each of her elbows to keep her steady and when she looks up at him she's met with a feral grin. This boy is different than the one at the pub, this is the Black she had initially been expecting. She shakes her arms and steps back to free herself. She read once that you should never look away from a predator, you should walk backwards slowly. Why she's remembering that now, she's not so sure.

"Pardon me, Black" She says. He doesn't move until Potter gives him a shove, and he falls to the right just enough for her to force her way through.

"You heard her, move it Padfoot, she needs the loo." She can hear Potter laughing at his friend over her shoulder.

Scarlet wanders unnoticed down the hall of the moving train. Now she has a little distance from the whole spectacle, she breathes a breath of relief. What a strange group of people. They're loud and disruptive. She can't help the tiny voice in the back of her mind that defends them. They're also fun. She answers the voice that she has better things to do with her time.

She doesn't make it halfway to her destination before she's stopped again. This time by the heinous Thomas Fawley.

"Hey, Moore! Wait up, where have you been? I owled you like a hundred times?" The slytherine has pestered her many times, however he was particularly annoying near the end of last year. He isn't a bad looking lad near six ft. tall with tanned skin and dark eyes. Unfortunately, his attractive looks can't make up for his monstrous personality.

"Well I imagine it was very exhausting for your poor owl." She replies. She glides passed the trolley lady and hopes he might get distracted as she quickens her heads towards the girl's room.

"Well maybe not exactly 100 times, but I did write at least three letters." He says trying to keep pace with her, the crowd surrounding the trolley impedes his path. "Anyways I thought I'd let you go to Hogsmead with me, the first trip is at the end of the month." Scarlet rolls her eyes, but he can't see because her back is to him.

"Sorry I can't." She says. She might have tried to be kinder, if he was less persistant. She thought returning all three letters unopened was a big hint. He grabs hold of her wrist none too gently.

"You always say that, but I'm serious this time, so you can't tease me anymore." She pulls at her arm attempting to free herself and glares when he refused to let go.

"I'm not teasing you, I'm simply not interested. Now, let go." She pulls again at her arm. He squeezes harder. "That hurts!" He smiles at her unnervingly.

"I know you birds like to be chased, but you've got my attention, Moore, you don't need to play these little games." He shoves her into the shallow groove outside the girl's room. It's enough to get them mostly out of site. He squeezes tighter, probably leaving a mark. She can't help making a pathetic sound at the pain. It feels like he's crushing her bones. She reaches into her pocket to get her wand, but he uses his other hand to force her hand into a fist. Then he snatches it fast as lightning. Putting it in his own pocket, out of her reach. "Ah Ah Ah, I just want to have a little fun with you, Moore." His face contorts into an ugly sneer and he whispers into her ear. "Let's have us a little fun, Huh?"

The hallway is surprisingly empty, with most students getting sweets from the trolley lady or in their compartments by now. She shifts her weight a little, bending her knees and straightening her fingers until her hands are flat. She pretends to move back in fear and he takes the bait. He tries to pin her against the wall. She drives her knee up, hard into his groin, and then without hesitation forces all her weight into him to knock him off balance, freeing herself.

"You little bitch." He hisses from behind his teeth. Leaning heavily against the wall and holding himself.

She takes advantage of his disabled position. She forces his arm behind his back, giving herself the necessary leverage so when she twists slowly, he cries out. When he tries to shove her away, he only succeeds in hurting himself more. Her brothers had drilled self-defense into her from an early age, but she didn't know what to do next. She can't let him go, and she can't actually hurt him. The dilemma is short lived because a spell shoots passed her left ear and smacks Fawley in the back of the head. He slumps to the ground unconscious. Scarlet whips around to face the new threat and is instead faced with a surprised but irate Black.

"Where in Merlin's name did you learn to do that? I mean, I never would have thought you were capable. You're so small and quiet." Sirius walks up to her and scans for any injuries. He frowns at her wrist then lifts her hand, so he can examine the red marks. "Why didn't you hex him?" He accuses then he turns it over to examine the other side.

"He took my wand." She doesn't know why she feels embarrassed to admit it. She didn't do anything wrong. Sirius lets go of her arm and bends over Fawley's unconscious form. He digs in his pocket until he finds what he's looking for. He stands up with her wand in hand and lands a brutal kick on the unconscious boy, muttering under his breath about wand-thieving troll scum.

"Stop." Scarlet immediately grabs his arm. "Don't do that." She pulls him away from Fawley and he finally seems to soften. He pulls his arm from her and steers her down the hall with a hand at the small of her back.

"Come on. I know a place you can change." They walk to a compartment and he jerks the sliding door open. "Alright boys, out. The lady needs the room for a bit." Lupin and Pettigrew stare at him mouths agape. It's obviously not a normal order. Lupin was reading a large book and Pettigrew was reading a chocolate frog box, before they were rudely interrupted. "Come on lads!" he says again. Both boys leap up and exit into the corridor. Scarlet briefly considers attempting to leave, but changes her mind. She's got to change, and this is probably the most privacy she's going to get. Besides, she can hardly go change in the loo, next to Fawley. When she's finished, she raises the shades and cracks open the door. The three boys charge inside.

"Fawley's a right arse." Pettigrew says patting her shoulder. She takes a seat to increase the distance between them, and he does the same. "Don't worry, we'll get him back. Slytherines are always trying to get to us, but he really crossed the line." Scarlet gives him the most incredulous look she can manage. She doesn't know this boy. She doesn't know any of these boys. Lupin takes the seat next to Pettigrew, as she has accidently taken his. He leans over and whispers something to the blond boy, who laughs.

"What? Pads doesn't-" Sirius smacks him on the side of his head midsentence, then takes the open seat besides Scarlet. He examines her injured wrist. The red marks are in the process of becoming an ugly blue and purple color.

"Can you do something about this, Mooney?" He asks nodding at her arm. She fixes Sirius with a menacing look.

"Yea, I can. If you want me to?" He directs his question to Scarlet and she shrugs.

"Are you any good at healing?" She scarcely gets the question out before Pettigrew is diving into a story about why Lupin is the best healer he knows. Lupin clears his throat when the boy starts to explain how his friend healed a nasty bruise on his derriere. His enthusiasm makes her smile and she nods her head yes. "Yea, alright. Give it a go." She holds her arm out expectantly. Black takes her hand once more and supports her elbow so that she's still. Lupin pulls out his wand and in a blink, it's over. Her bruised wrist is a normal color again. Before she lets her arm drop Black snatches the piece of paper sticking out of her pocket.

"What's this?" He holds it just out of her reach. She doesn't bother to try and grab it. He's such a contradiction. One minutes he's suprisingly kind and the next he's acting like a five-year-old brat.

"It's just a letter, you can read it. I don't care." Her laissez faire attitude garners his attention. He reads aloud,

"Dear Ms. Moore, Due to your exemplary skills as a student, and great strength of character, you have been selected by your head of house to receive the honor of becoming a prefect. . . . You're a prefect now?" he seems a little disgusted by her new position. "Why didn't you give that prick detention?" He demands. Scarlet looks at his friends, but they only nod their heads seeming to agree with his question.

"I don't know how." She shrugs a little embarrassed.

"They haven't had a meeting yet, Pads." Lupin chimes in. Scarlet shoots out of her seat. How long has she been gone?

"The meeting!" she slaps her palm to her forehead. "I am such a complete duffer. I forgot." She snatches the letter from Black's hands and Black stands, blocking her escape.

"Don't go just yet. I don't think you actually want to be there." He gestures to the seat, but Scarlet doesn't resume her spot. "Prongs is delaying Lilly as well. No need for you lot to get caught up in it."

"Why, what have you done?" She snaps, but all three just look at her innocently. She sighs and takes her seat.

"We charmed burp powder to float near the ceiling, for one hour. When the charm wears off the powder will fall and coat anyone in the room. They'll be burping through the whole welcome feast." Sirius says, laughing. He's radiating glee at the reveal of their mastermind plan.

"That's idiotic." She scoffs. "Why would you even bother to do that?" She asks.

"It wasn't our best, but not bad on such short notice." Lupin says, he leans back and opens the large tome, apparently done with the conversation.

"It's bloody brilliant." Sirius says. "It's the perfect crime, we aren't at school, so technically we aren't breaking any rules." He looks to Pettigrew for assistance.

"Dumping it on the prefects was the real stroke of genius, except Prongs didn't want Lilly involved. Don't know why, she's still going to yell at him." Peter says coming to Sirius' defense. These boys are ridiculous. What a childish, foolish, Marauder-like thing to do. She takes a deep breath for patients.

"I appreciate that you went out of your way to keep me out of the mess of it. Thanks for that. However, in future, I'd prefer not to be involve at all." They completely ignore everything but the thank you.

"You're welcome, Moore." Pettigrew says happily. Prongs and Lilly arrive at the compartment a few moments later and Lilly drags her away from the troublesome group of boys. When they finally make it to the prefects meeting, the prank has already passed. The constant burping made it too difficult to converse, so the head boy assigned Lilly and Scarlet to check the platform for any leftover students before heading to the feast themselves. They decided to reschedule the rest of the meeting for tomorrow morning. The effects of the burping powder should be faded by then.

Despite the drama of the train ride Scarlet can't help but feel excited. Returning to Hogwarts feels like a magic of its own. Lilly and Scarlet check the now empty train for any stragglers before dismounting onto the platform.

"Oi, not my new shoes!" Pettigrew calls loudly. Black laughs as he throws snaps at the young boys' feet. Of course, they waited. It makes perfect since for them to be the last students. The pair of boys are so loud that they startle the last thestral. It rears and then races towards the castle at a break neck speed. Taking the last carriage with it.

"What the hell? Why is it leaving?" Potter breathes out before they all start running after it. Scarlet is quick, but not anywhere near as fast as Potter and Black. They are the first to climb into the runaway carriage. Scarlet grasps onto the side of the and prepares to jump in.

"Grab the reigns, you dolts!" She shouts.

"The what?" Potter yells back.

"The reigns, Potter!" but if he can't see the thestrals then he can't grab the reigns, so she jumps. Exactly the same moment Black grabs onto the reins and pulls hard. The carriage comes to an abrupt halt. Thrown forward by her own momentum she hits the ground, hard, slamming her forehead into a large stone. Lilly screams when she sees her fly through the air. Groaning and rolling onto her back she sees stars and then three hands extended to help her up. She grabs hold of one and the others grab her, hauling her to her feet.

"Are you alright?" Lilly asks a little out of breath from the run. Scarlet nods yes and Lilly helps her into the carriage carefully. The others follow suit.

"How's your head, Moore?" Lupin asks as he sits down beside Lilly.

"It'll be fine." she says waiting for the world to stop spinning.

"Are you sure?" Lilly asks and brushes her hair out of her face in a distinctly motherly fashion. Scarlet just nods her head yes again. All the nodding is making her even dizzier.

"Well, now we know you can beat Pete and Remus in a foot race as well as beat up Slytherins. Your just full of surprises." Black says. Potter nudges him in the ribs, for his sharp tone. Black doesn't look very happy.

"She can take a hit too. Did you see that innocent rock she cracked in half with her skull?" Pettigrew announces. Sitting up to measure a glare at them, she ignores the swimming dots behind her eyes. So far she's gotten into fisticuffs with Fawley, and now she's concussed. At this rate, it'll be a miracle if she survives the feast. "Do you want to go see Madam Pomfrey?" Lupin asks. He's probably the only decent one of the bunch she thinks poisonously. She can feel a large welt occupying a generous portion of her head.

"Thanks, but I'm alright. I just hope unicorn horns are in style this year, as I seem to be growing one." She instantly regrets saying it as three of the lads laugh loudly. Leaning back to rest against the carriage she prays for a fast arrival. This was the longest trip to Hogwarts she's ever had. Black helps her down from the wagon when they arrive and stops to look at her head, lagging behind the others.

"Do you usually have so many bruises before the welcome feast?" There's no hint of a smile. He seems withdrawn and pensive.

"I'm fine, thank you." She says disturbed by his familiarity. Why did he keep touching her today? He shrugs at her answer and walks beside her into the warm, brightly lit castle. Too brightly lit, it hurts Scarlets eyes and makes her stomach flip.

The chatter coming from the great hall indicates that the sorting is over. Scarlet frowns as nausea hits her along with the overpowering smell of food. Veering away from the group she heads to the common room, but by the time she has taken the first step on the stair case Black is already beside her.

"Where are you off to?" He asks. Sick and tired of him invading her personal space, she ignores him and addresses the gaggle of sixth year Gryffindors.

"Thank you, it's been really lovely getting to know you all, but I'm tired, I'm going to bed." Despite speaking as clearly as possible she sways a little. Sirius notices.

"Moore, one of us has to give an oral report to the head boy or girl. I'll do it, if you want to go lie down." Lilly offers.

"Thanks, Evans. I appreciate it. I'll see you around." Scarlet says. Lilly marches up the stairs until she's eye level with Black.

"You better be on the best behavior you've never had." She says and Black lets out a startling laugh at her demand. "Potter, I hate to say this, but you come with me, you two are best when separated." Potter smiles at his mates before following the red head.

"Well I'm starved. You coming, Mooney?" Pettigrew asks, gesturing to the great hall.

"I think I'll go with Pads." Lupin says. Pettigrew shrugs and hums happily on his way to the feast.

"What for, mate? I'm sure you're starved too." Sirius seems to be telling Lupin not to come, but Lupin is either ignoring it or willfully misunderstanding.

"Because, unlike you, I actually know some healing spells, and if she still won't go to Pomfrey than I can help her." A look passes between the two that she can't understand. Lupin appears to be wining the argument though.

"Don't you have something else you should be doing right now?" Sirius asks, glancing from the great hall to Lupin and back.

"Not really." Lupin always seems quieter than the others, but watching them interact now Scarlet can see that he has plenty of back bone. Tired of their company Scarlet turns and walks up the stairs. She can't stop them from coming with her, but she doesn't have to keep waiting on them. About half way to Gryffindor tower Scarlet stops and leans hard against the rail of the moving stair case. Choking against the vomit sitting in the back of her throat. She takes deep breaths and closes her eyes.

"Padfoot, we've got to take her to go see Pomfery. This is absurd." Lupin mutters. She told him no three times. Maybe Lupin isn't as decent as she had thought. He starts whispering to Black and glancing nervously at her before she straightens up.

"I appreciate your help, but you aren't taking me anywhere, thank you." Lupin gives a side long glance to Black until she says, "I don't suggest you try." Her bravado quickly fails her as nausea takes over. She leans over the stair case and tosses her cookies.

"Nice one Mooney. You're a real lady killer." Black says shoving him on the shoulder. He pulls Scarlet's hair out of her face and rubs her back soothingly. Even as her head is swimming, she wonders what he's playing at. When she's finished, she wipes her mouth on her sleeve and starts up the long stairs. She makes it three uneven steps before she falters and Black picks her up without a word. She doesn't even protest. After he takes a few steps, he whispers in her ear,

"Mooney says 'don't fall asleep'; you've probably got a concussion. He can try to patch you up in the room." He's a little out of breath as he says it and the warm air fans over her cheek as he speaks.

"Please, don't take me to Pomfrey." She barley gets it out before she can't stand the spinning and leans her head against his shoulder.

The smell of warm sunshine and the feel of grass is the first thing she recognizes. Running her fingers over a single blade she hears the sounds of the lake and laughter, followed by her mother's voice singing a lullaby. It's the same song she used to sing to all of her children. The same song Scarlet sang to her mother when she was sick. The same song they played at her funeral. Her eyes snap open, but the sun is blinding in the open sky. Shading her eyes, she sits upright and searches frantically, before she spots her mother standing by the edge of the lake.

"Mama?" She whispers, her voice is hoarse, and she's afraid to speak too loudly. The light refracting off the surface of the lake makes her look like a mirage. Desperate to see her more clearly she stands on shaking legs.

"Hey, there's my girl! Come on Scarlet Anne, hurry up slow poke." The sound of her mother saying something she had heard a so many times as a little girl brings instant tears to Scarlet's eyes. Her throat is dry and she can't quite catch her breath.

"Mama, I miss you.-"She's interrupted by a small voice shrieking.

"Wait for me!" Turning around she spots a little girl running down the big, grass hill towards the lake. Her dark hair is flying wildly behind her. She falls and begins to cry. Without hesitation her mother is jogging towards the little girl picking her up. She kisses her little hands and skinned knees. Then, she sings again, the same horrible, beautiful song. Tears roll down Scarlet's face unchecked, and her heart aches with an unmendable pain. She tries to move closer to the scene but she starts to sink into thick mud.

"Mama!" She screams for her, praying she'll turn around so Scarlet can see her face. She reaches out her hands, trying to hold onto the moment but she only sinks deeper into the mud. She screams again, but it's up to her knees and pulling her down fast. The pair have stood up and are walking away from her slowly, still humming the melody.

"Please, please come back." Fighting hard against the pull of the mud she stumbles, falling chest deep. Dark inky black is starting to swallow up the scene. She fights against the feeling of falling but they are getting away. She starts screaming again desperate for a single second in her company.

"Not yet, just not yet! Please!" She begs, and her mother starts to turn, but it's too late and she's falling into the dark. Nothing is left. She opens her eyes to see someone over her, shaking her.


End file.
